Amblin Partners Names Dan Berger Head of Communications

By Matt Donnelly

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Amblin Partners has set a new leadership structure that welcomes longtime Hollywood player Dan Berger as executive vice president and head of communications at the Steven Spielberg content company.

Last at 20th Century Fox film before Disney acquired the studio in March, Berger will oversee Amblin’s corporate communications, marketing and publicity efforts. He will also serve as Spielberg’s chief spokesperson. As Berger comes on board, Spielberg’s veteran communications expert Marvin Levy will segue to the role of senior advisor.

“The term ‘second family’ is often used to reference the very closest relationships we build in the workplace, but that term does little justice to the collaboration that Marvin Levy and I have enjoyed as we enter the fifth decade of our working friendship.  Marvin is, as he has always been, simply family,” Spielberg said in a statement. “I’m overjoyed to continue calling him both a friend and a colleague, and that our partnership — one of the longest of my career — will go forward as he takes on this new role. We are so fortunate to welcome Dan Berger into this role,and to call on his broad experience across so many facets of the entertainment industry.”

Spielberg and Levy first worked together on the 1977 film “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” His notable marketing campaigns include those for “The China Syndrome,” “Kramer Vs. Kramer,” “Sophie’s Choice” and “Back to the Future.” Levy served on the board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for 23 years, namely in the public relations branch. He received an Academy Award at the annual Governors Awards, the very first honorary Oscar ever for a member of the PR branch.

At Fox,  Berger oversaw release of numerous critical and box office successes including “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “The Shape of Water,” “Deadpool 2” and “The Greatest Showman.” Before his tenure on that West Los Angeles lot, Berger led communications for DreamWorks Animation, working closely with its chairman and CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg. He has also served in the media group at Yahoo!, Inc, and began his career in New York at the PR agencies Edelman Worldwide and GCI Group.